


Welcome to Camp Black Bear

by brycelwynn



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 16:36:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29903982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brycelwynn/pseuds/brycelwynn
Summary: After graduation, Dave, Kurt, Finn and Santana leave Lima and head to New York to work as camp counselors for Camp Black Bear, a camp for LGBTQ+ youth.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Kurt Hummel/David Karofsky, Rachel Berry/Finn Hudson, Santana Lopez/Brittany S. Pierce
Comments: 18
Kudos: 15





	1. I Want To Break Free

**Thurston High School: Thursday, April 12**

Dave waited until he was pretty sure no one was left inside the school before he unfastened his safety belt and climbed out of his truck. He shoved his hands inside the pockets of his red windbreaker as he moved across the near-empty parking lot. This was only his third time back on campus since his so-called teammate decided to out him to the rest of the hockey team. After his release from the hospital, his dad had arranged for him to finish up the rest of the school year at home. At first Dave had been opposed to the idea. He had run away from McKinley to get away from his problems. Frankly, he was tired of running. Then Kurt had reminded him of all the hateful and disgusting comments he had received on his Facebook and that was enough for him to reconsider his decision. Luckily, all of his teachers had been supportive so for the last month, Dave had been completing his assignments, essays and tests at home and submitting them via email. The one downside to his new setup was that once a week he had to come to Thurston to meet with his guidance counselor.

Dave walked through the main entrance and made a beeline for the front office. Behind the main desk was a long corridor of offices belonging to the principal, vice principal and other notable staff members. Dave stopped at the end of the hallway and turned to the door on the left. There was a poster of Harvey Milk and a small rainbow flag thumbtacked to the door. The name plaque beside the door read: Thaddeus Winchester III. Seeing the name always got a chuckle out of Dave. Thaddeus Winchester III sounded like some rich lord who rode horses and played croquet – not some middle-aged guidance counselor at a high school in Lima, Ohio.

Dave knocked twice. The door immediately opened to Mr. Winchester standing on the other side. He was a tall man, rail thin with a shock of gray-blond hair. He wore a thin, white button down with the sleeves hiked past his forearms and gray slacks. His eyes crinkled from behind his glasses as he ushered Dave inside.

“Nice to see you again, Mr. Karofsky. Come in and have a seat.”

Dave sat in one of the two chairs facing Mr. Winchester’s cluttered desk and looked around the small space. There were college posters and brochures tacked to the dark blue walls. On the wall next to Dave was a large map of the United States. Each year, Mr. Winchester liked to write the names of each of the seniors next to the cities where the colleges they would be attending in the fall were located. Dave saw his name written in black Sharpie next to Columbus, Ohio. Both Dave and his dad had decided for his first year it would be best to go to a college that was away from Lima but not so far away in case Dave wanted to come home on the weekends. So, Ohio State it was.

Mr. Winchester took his seat behind his desk and lifted the lid on his laptop.

“I found a few more scholarships I think you should apply for,” he said, his bright blue eyes glued to the screen in front of him. “I just emailed you the information. The deadline for both of them is April 22.”

“Thanks, sir,” Dave said. “I really appreciate you helping me out.”

Mr. Winchester waved his hand as if he were swatting a small insect and said, “Don’t mention it. I’m very much aware of your situation, Mr. Karofsky, and it is my goal to make sure you don’t have to come out of pocket for anything.”

Dave nodded and looked down at his lap. After his suicide attempt and subsequent hospital stay, Mr. Winchester had stopped by his home to check in on him. Of course, Dave had been so out of it because of all of the drugs his doctors had sent him home with he barely remembered the visit. What he did remember is that Mr. Winchester stayed at least a few hours talking with his dad in the kitchen. Ever since that visit, Mr. Winchester had gone out of his way to let Dave know he was on his side and Dave was so grateful to have the man in his corner.

“Mr. Winchester,” he said after several moments of silence had passed. “I was wondering if you had any information on volunteer opportunities. I’m thinking ahead for the summer.”

The other man looked up from his computer screen and his eyes widened. “Are you sure you’re up to that?”

Dave recalled the last several weeks. His life had become so routine, even without the structure of a school schedule. He usually woke early and immediately showered. His dad would insist on them having breakfast together before he left for the office and Dave started on his schoolwork. Every hour, on the hour, his dad would call to check on him. He was allowed to jog during his lunch break but only around the neighborhood and he had to have his phone with him at all times. When his dad arrived home from work, he spent the rest of the afternoon and evening following Dave around the house until Dave would finally head upstairs to go to bed.

Dave loved his dad more than anything, but he was going stir crazy being inside all the time.

“Yes,” Dave answered. “I think it would be good for me.”

Mr. Winchester leaned back in his chair and studied Dave for a moment. Without a word, he stood up and walked over to the tall filing cabinet tucked in the corner of the room. He pulled open the second drawer and started rifling through files.

“I got something in the mail a few weeks ago,” he said as he pulled out a manilla folder. “Perhaps you might be interested.”

Dave watched as Mr. Winchester took his seat and flipped open the folder. He wondered what volunteer opportunity he was about to be presented with. Dave imagined himself working in a nursing home or with Habitat for Humanity or maybe he would become the big brother to some underprivileged kid.

Mr. Winchester plucked a brochure from the inside of the folder and slid it across the desk towards Dave. Dave leaned forward and picked it up. The first thing he noticed was a photo of a young girl posed in front of a rock-climbing wall. Next to the photo, in bright, bold letters it said _Are You Ready for the Best Summer Ever?_ Right underneath was a small caption that read: _Welcome to Camp Black Bear. Our Mission: To enhance and empower LGBTQ+ youth_. 

Dave looked up and made eye contact with Mr. Winchester. “This is a camp.”

Mr. Winchester nodded.

“For LGBTQ+ youth,” David said. “Says here they are looking for responsible, compassionate and enthusiastic individuals to serve as counselors.”

“Responsible, compassionate, enthusiastic,” Mr. Winchester repeated. “Think you fit the bill?”

Dave chewed his bottom lip. Responsible? He had done a pretty good job of managing his schoolwork. Compassionate? He supposed he could be more compassionate, but he was definitely getting there. Enthusiastic? He was enthusiastic about not spending the whole summer cooped up in his house.

“Most definitely,” he said sounding the most confident he had been in weeks. “I think this would be perfect for me. To have a chance to help some kid maybe not go down the same dark path as I did – I think that would be the best thing in the world.”

“Mr. Karofsky, I can think of no one else better suited to take on such a role,” Mr. Winchester said. “However, have you taken notice of where the camp is located?”

Dave glanced down at the brochure and saw that the camp was located in New York, right on Lake Erie. He did the math in his head and figured that was roughly five hours away. Five hours away and in another state. There was no way his dad would consent to him spending the entire summer five hours away in New York.

“I know what you’re thinking, Mr. Karofsky, but before you give up on this, I want you to take this folder home and have a good, long talk with your dad.”

Dave sighed and slumped in his chair. “What’s the point. He’s not going to let me go spend the summer in New York. He can barely stand not being in the same room with me.”

Mr. Winchester winced and removed his glasses. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. He reached over his desk and took the brochure back from Dave. He placed it back in the folder and stood up from his chair. He walked to the other side of the desk and stood next to Dave.

“Dave, I think this would be a great opportunity for you,” he said. “Talk to your dad. Tell him everything you told me. I have a feeling he will be more open than you think.”

Dave gave the older man a sheepish look. “Think so?”

Mr. Winchester handed the folder over to Dave. “There’s only one way to find out.”

Dave looked down at the folder in his hand. He then pulled out his phone and checked the time. It was a quarter after three. He had almost two hours before his dad got home from work. He figured that gave him ample time to prepare himself for the onslaught of questions his dad was sure to have.


	2. Girls Just Want to Have Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Santana shares her summer plans with Brittany.

**McKinley High School: Wednesday, April 18**

Santana ran a towel through her damp hair as she stared into her locker. Hanging alongside her gym bag, a few sports bras and a pair of pom-poms was her Cheerios uniform. Santana thought about the day she tried out for the Cheerios. Back then it had been completely unheard of for a freshman to make the legendary squad but due to the fact that Santana was the only one who could execute a proper double back handspring during tryouts, Sue Sylvester had immediately scooped her up. Only she and one other freshman had made the squad that year: one Quinn Fabray. The two became instant friends and when Brittany joined the Cheerios the following year, the Unholy Trinity was born.

Sure, there had been arguments, the occasional catfight and even a few betrayals along the way but two weeks out from graduation, Santana felt confident the friendship shared between the three of them would endure beyond the hallways of McKinley High.

Santana pulled on her dress, slicked her hair back into her trademark ponytail and quickly reapplied her makeup before the bell rang. She slammed her locker shut and left the locker room. Pushing her way through the throng of McKinley students packed tight like sardines in the main hallway, she paused when something caught her eye right outside of Miss Pillsbury’s office.

Santana walked over to the bulletin board which featured a collage of brochures and pamphlets with such titles as _My First Chancre_ and _You Won’t Be Alone Forever … Probably!_ Santana zeroed in on one of the brochures at the center of the board. It featured two kids, a boy and a girl, in a canoe on a serene looking lake. Under the photograph, in bold, rainbow-colored letters were the words _Welcome to Camp Black Bear – A Camp For LGBTQ+ Youth._

Santana quickly surveyed her surroundings before she yanked the brochure away from the bulletin board. She then made her way to her next class of the day: Advanced Spanish with Will Schuester. 

~

“Whatcha doin’?”

Santana looked up just in time to see Brittany drop into the chair across from her. Brittany was wearing an oversized pink sweater with a gray tabby cat printed on the front. Her hair was down and curled at the ends which brought a smile to Santana’s face. She loved when Brittany wore her hair down.

“I’m seriously considering applying to work at this summer camp,” Santana told her.

“What kind of summer camp?”

“It’s a camp for LGBTQ+ kids.”

“That’s awesome,” Brittany said.

“You think?”

“LGBTQ+ kids are five times more likely to attempt suicide that kids who identify as straight.”

Santana stared wide-eyed at her girlfriend and asked, “Britt, how on earth did you know that?”

Brittany shrugged and said, “I overheard Lord Tubbington talking about it the other day on the phone. I think you should definitely apply.”

“Are you sure?

“Santana, it’s a camp for LGBTQ+ kids. Kids like you and me. What are the ages of these kids?”

Santana scanned the brochure in front of her and said, “It says the kids are between the ages of 12 and 16.”

“Think about when we were that age,” Brittany said. “Having a place where we could go, even if it were only for a few months, where we could be around people just like us. That would’ve been like the best thing in the world.”

Santana smiled. “You’re right. That would’ve been the best thing in the world. Especially if you were there.”

“Well, these kids will be able to have the experience you and I never got to have,” Brittany said. “And you would get to be a part of it.”

“I think you’ve convinced me, Britt. The application’s due by the end of the month.”

“Awesome. Sounds like you and I will be having the best summer ever.”

Santana lowered her head and sighed. “There is one thing, Britt.”

Brittany blinked twice and asked, “What is it?”

Santana toyed with the small chain around her neck. “It’s in New York. The camp is in New York. Right next to Lake Erie.”

“That sounds cool.”

“It would mean that I would be spending the summer in New York which is five hours from here.”

Brittany rested her chin on top of her hands and tilted her head. “Would I like to spend the entire summer hanging with you? Yes. Would I want you to give up such an amazing opportunity just so you could stay here with me? No.”

Santana’s eyes widened. “Wow. That was so not the answer I was expecting.”

“Santana, I love you and part of loving you is wanting you to be happy. You deserve to be happy.”

Santana felt her eyes well with tears. She had been worried Brittany would be upset about her spending the summer so far away from Lima. Now she realized that perhaps it was her who was afraid of leaving. Could she survive an entire summer without her?

“Santana don’t cry,” she said. “Because then you’ll make me cry.”

Santana shrugged and said, “It’s just that sometimes I can hardly believe you’re with me. I so do not deserve you, Brittany S. Pierce.”

“Well, you have me, Santana Diabla Lopez and when you come back at the end of the summer, I will be waiting for you right here.” Brittany paused and observed their surroundings. “Where are we?”

“The library, Brittany,” Santana said. She smiled and shook her head. “Well, I guess it’s settled. I’m going to get this application completed.”

Brittany clapped her hands together and said, “Yay.”

Santana looked over at the circulation desk. Mrs. Chang, the librarian, was leveling a death stare at their table. Santana rolled her eyes and looked back down at the brochure.

“I’ve never been to camp before,” Brittany said.

“Brittany we literally go to cheer camp every summer.”

“I know but that’s different. We basically spend two weeks at OSU staying in dorms and eating out of the cafeteria. The camp you’re going to is like real camp. You’ll probably be staying in a cabin and you’ll probably go on nature hikes and roast marshmallows. Sounds really fun.”

Santana looked up and smiled. “You’re right. It does sound fun. Except the whole hiking part. Maybe I can help with arts and crafts.”

“Oooh and we can totally be pen pals just like in that movie where Lindsey Lohan played twins. You could write and tell me about all of the cool activities you’re doing with the kids. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“The application process seems simple enough,” Santana said. “Says here I’ll need two references.”

“What about Mr. Schue?” Brittany asked.

“I’ll ask him at the end of glee rehearsal. I just need to find someone else.”

“I know who we can ask.” Brittany hopped up from her chair and gestured for Santana to follow.

Santana grinned as she collected her things and followed Brittany out of the library.


	3. Dancing With Myself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn is dealing with relationship woes.

**Hudson-Hummel Residence: Friday, April 21**

The interior of Finn Hudson’s bedroom was dark save for the string of white twinkly lights framing the window above his bed. The twinkly lights had been Kurt’s idea – along with the dark throw pillows on his bed and the papasan chair next to his bookcase. Sometimes Finn would come home from school or Burt’s garage and there would be a brand-new lamp, or a giant candle and he would just go along with it. The last thing he wanted to do was insult his stepbrother’s design sensibilities – especially after the lamp incident from last year.

Finn lie flat on his back, arms tucked behind his head, staring blankly at the ceiling. His headphones were plugged into his phone and he was listening to a playlist he created awhile back. The name of the playlist was “Songs That I Like That Rachel Also Likes”. There was only one song: The Cure’s “Love Song”. He had heard her singing it one day and he had explained to her it was a cover of The Cure’s version. He then played The Cure’s version for her and she said she liked it – even though she liked Adele’s version better.

Finn rolled over on his side. There on the table beside his bed was a picture of he and Rachel set inside a silver frame Kurt had bought him for Christmas. The photo had been taken at their very first Regionals. The two of them looked so happy despite New Directions coming in last place. Finn groaned, punched a pillow, and then tossed it across the room. He flopped onto his bad and closed his eyes and thought about his last conversation with Rachel.

It had been two days since Rachel invited him over to her house presumably to fool around while pretending to watch _Downton Abbey_. When he arrived, Rachel answered the door wearing the bright green dress that he liked. Her hair fell over one shoulder and he noticed she was wearing the necklace he had bought her for Hanukkah. Rachel Berry – his girlfriend – looked hot.

Finn looked down at his own clothing. He was wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt that he pulled from the hamper, a pair of jeans and the sneakers he wore whenever he did yardwork. He felt like such a schlub standing next to her.

Rachel reached for his hand and pulled him through the front door. She led him into the kitchen and had him take a seat at the table.

“I made you some vegan peanut butter cookies.” Rachel sat a platter of cookies down on the table and sat down in the chair across from him. “I know they’re your favorite.”

“Awesome,” Finn said as he reached for one. It wasn’t that they were his favorite. They just so happened to be the one vegan thing Rachel had made for him that didn’t make him want to throw up.

Rachel waited for him to finish the cookie before she spoke. “Um, Finn. We need to talk.”

“About?”

“Us,” she said. “We need to talk about us.”

Finn swallowed the final bite of cookie. “Okay …”

“So, you know how I don’t like long-distance relationships.”

Finn furrowed his brow and said, “No – I didn’t know that.”

“Oh,” she said. “Well, um, as you know, come fall, I’ll be leaving for NYADA.”

“I’m well aware,” Finn said not liking where this was going.

“And you’ll be staying put, here in Lima, for the foreseeable future.”

“Rachel, what are you trying to say?”

“I hate this-I hate this-I hate this,” she said. “Okay, I’m just going to rip the band-aid off and yes it will hurt but only for a little while. Finn, I believe it would be in both our best interest to end things now rather than prolong the inevitable.”

Finn’s eyes narrowed as he tilted his head. “You’re breaking up with me?”

“Finn, I’m just trying to do what’s best for our futures.”

Finn sneered and said, “You mean what’s best for _your_ future.” He stood up and said, “You’re heading off to the Big Apple to become the toast of Broadway and you’re worried about your hick boyfriend from your Podunk hometown dragging you down.”

Rachel audibly gasped and suddenly stood from the table. “Finn – that is _not_ true. You’re not just my _hick boyfriend_.”

“You’re right. I’m just the guy who means so little to you that you’re willing to just end our relationship over a plate of shitty cookies like it’s nothing.”

Finn backed away from the table and turned to leave the kitchen. Rachel grabbed his arm and spun him around to face her.

“Finn – I _love you_. And it hurts me to do this. This isn’t easy for me.”

Finn shook his head and said, “You know, Santana was right. You are selfish.”

“Wow, Finn … that was … that was harsh, and I do _not_ deserve that,” Rachel said as she jabbed her finger in his chest.

“Then why won’t you fight for us?” Finn asked.

Rachel opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She lowered her head and looked down at the floor.

Finn nodded and without a word he left the Berry residence. He pulled out of her driveway, his heart in a million tiny pieces and drove home. He walked past his mom and Burt who were watching one of their sitcoms and climbed the stairs to his bedroom. Collapsing on his bed, he pulled out his phone and found a playlist he had created in math class one afternoon. There was only one song. He pressed play.

The music was gone. Finn opened his eyes and nearly jumped out of his skin. There was Kurt standing over him with a concerned look on his face. Finn yanked off his headphones and sat up in bed, propping his back against the headboard.

“Kurt, what are you doing?” he asked.

Kurt folded his arms over his chest and said, “Get. Up.”

“Wh-what? Why?” he asked.

“You’ve been walking around like a zombie for two days now and people are starting to notice.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, Kurt, I’m sort of going through a breakup right now.”

Kurt sat on the edge of his bed and sighed. “You want to talk about it?”

Finn reached for one of the throw pillows and clutched it to his chest. “There’s nothing really to say. Rachel doesn’t want to be with anymore.”

“And you’re sure that’s what she said?”

“Actually, she was all like _it would be in both our best interest if we ended things right now instead of waiting for the inevitable_.”

“Yikes,” Kurt said. “I’m so sorry, Finn.”

Finn shrugged and said, “Can’t say that I blame her. If I were going off to New York to become famous, I wouldn’t want to have some Lima Loser tethered to me.”

“Nope,” Kurt said hopping up from the bed. “We are _not_ going down this road of self-pity, Finn Hudson. Get up now and follow me.”

Finn opened his mouth to protest but before he knew it, Kurt was pulling him out of bed and out of his room. They headed down to Kurt’s room in the basement.

“You and I are going to order pizza and then we’re going to watch those silly car movies you like,” Kurt said as they entered his room.

“ _Silly car movies_?” Finn asked.

“You know – the ones with the Rock and the guy that voices Baby Groot.”

“You mean _The Fast and the Furious_?” Finn asked.

Kurt nodded as he cleared off the sofa in the corner of the room.

“You hate those movies,” Finn reminded him.

“Remember last year when I got the flu?” Kurt asked.

“Yeah – you were so miserable. I felt so bad for you.”

“Remember how you made me soup and you sat and watched that _America’s Next Top Model_ marathon with me?”

Finn nodded and plopped down on the sofa.

“Well – you’re pretty miserable right now so I want to take care of you the way you took care of me.”

Finn ducked his head and said, “Gee Kurt – you don’t have to do that for me.”

“I want to. C’mon, Finn, let me spoil you.” Kurt took out his phone. “So, I’m going to order the pizza and why don’t you get the movie set up.”

Finn started to get up from the sofa to run upstairs to grab the DVDs but then he noticed the folded piece of paper on the cushion next to him. He picked it up and saw that it was a brochure for some sort of summer camp. _Camp Black Bear_. There was a photo of a redhead kid with freckles and braces. He was standing at the edge of a dock holding a fishing pole.

“Okay – pizza’s ordered and it should be here in thirty minutes,” Kurt said.

Finn looked up from the brochure and asked, “You thinking about going to camp this summer?”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “No – I’m thinking about applying to be a camp counselor at a camp for LGBTQ+ kids. I was meeting with Ms. Pillsbury this afternoon and she was telling me about it and it sounds really cool.”

“I used to love going to summer camp,” Finn said. “It was like having this group of friends separate from your regular group of friends at home.”

“I never went to summer camp,” Kurt said. He plopped down next to Finn and sighed. “I was afraid I wouldn’t fit in.”

“That’s the beauty of summer camp,” Finn said, a giant grin on his face. “No one is left out. I would love to go back.”

Kurt turned to face Finn. “Maybe you should apply, too.”

Finn laughed. “It’s a camp for LGBT kids.”

“But you would potentially be a counselor and I don’t think it matters for the counselors just so long as you’re creating a safe and accepting environment for the campers.”

Finn leaned back and tucked his hands behind his head. “It sure would be nice to swim in a lake and fish and roast marshmallows and tell ghost stories again.”

“Plus, you’d get to spend the summer with me. It would be our last hurrah before I leave for New York in the fall.”

Finn looked over at Kurt and asked, “You really think I’d be good at being a counselor?”

“Finn – I’ve watched you lead the glee club for three years now. Do you always make the best decisions? No. But you always try to fix things whenever you make a mistake and to me that’s a leader. You’re a natural born leader.”

Finn shot Kurt a goofy grin. “Thanks, Kurt. It would be fun to go back to camp.”

Kurt tapped the brochure in his hand. “Just think about it. I think it will do you some good to get away from Lima for a while.”


	4. With or Without You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurt and Blaine attend Dave's graduation party.

**Karofsky Residence: Saturday, May 19**

Kurt rang the doorbell and turned to face Blaine. He surveyed his boyfriend’s outfit. Blaine wore a pair of slim-fit red trousers and a silk black button-down capped off with a bright red bowtie. His hair was fastidiously coiffed for the occasion. Blaine Anderson was the only person Kurt knew who used more hair product than he did.

“You look really handsome this evening,” he said.

“As do you,” Blaine said.

Kurt reached out and flicked away a piece of stray lint from Blaine’s shoulder.

“I’m so glad you came tonight,” Kurt said.

Blaine’s eyes narrowed. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Kurt shrugged and gave a nervous laugh. “It’s just that, well you know you and David kinda started off rocky -.”

“Hey.” Blaine reached out and placed his hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “You gave Dave a second chance. I figured I should, too.”

Just then the door opened to reveal Dave standing on the other side. Dave was wearing a charcoal V-neck sweater with a pink button down underneath paired with dark denim jeans. Dave smiled and ushered the two of them inside.

The interior of Dave’s house smelled like the inside of a fancy restaurant. Kurt’s stomach rumbled as he remembered the last time he ate which had been at breakfast which was now hours ago.

“I’m glad you both are here,” Dave said.

“Wouldn’t have missed this for the world,” Kurt said. He held up the two gift bags in his hand and said, “Finn couldn’t make it but he did send a gift.”

“Yeah,” Dave said. “He texted me and apologized for not coming tonight. Everything okay?”

Kurt rolled his eyes and said, “He accidentally butt-dialed Rachel and he’s been spiraling ever since.”

Dave winced and said, “Poor guy. Maybe I’ll invite him over to play some _Call of Duty_ tomorrow.”

“I think he’d like that,” Kurt said.

Dave took the two small bags from Kurt and sat them on the antique credenza in the foyer. He turned to Kurt and Blaine and said, “C’mon. The girls are already here. I hope you don’t mind but we’ll be hanging out on the patio tonight.”

“Perfect evening for it,” Blaine said.

Kurt grabbed Blaine’s hand and the two of them followed Dave through the house and out the back door. At this point, Kurt had been over at Dave’s house at least a couple dozen times. When Dave texted Kurt to let him know he was being released from the hospital, Kurt had gotten in his truck and driven to the Karofskys, arriving before Dave and his dad.

When Kurt had first heard of Dave’s suicide attempt, he had cried for hours. Then when he finally stopped crying, the guilt started to settle in. If only he had answered one of Dave’s calls, maybe then Dave wouldn’t have done the unthinkable. After nearly drowning in self-pity for over a week, his dad and Carole had managed to convince him that what Dave did was not his fault and that it wasn’t too late for Kurt to make good on his offer to be Dave’s friend.

Dave’s patio was decked out in colorful lights and a small intimate area had been set up for Dave and his friends. Both Santana and Brittany were already seated at the cloth covered table. Mr. Karofsky looked up from his position at the grill and waved at Kurt and Blaine before turning back around to flip the steaks they would be having for dinner.

“This looks great, David,” Kurt said taking a seat across from Brittany. Blaine took the seat next to him and across from Santana.

“Thanks,” Dave said as he sat at the head of the table. “I really appreciate you all coming.”

Brittany held up the glass in front of her and said, “Happy Graduation, Dave.”

“Happy Graduation,” both Kurt and Santana said.

“Thanks.”

“Sorry – we didn’t make it to the ceremony,” Kurt said.

“No worries,” Dave said shrugging his shoulders. “The only reason I went was to get my diploma.”

“So now that you’ve graduated, what are your plans going forward?” Blaine asked.

“Well, I got accepted to Ohio State University, Northwestern and Michigan State University.”

Blaine’s eyes widened. “Oh wow – that’s awesome.”

“I’m leaning towards Michigan State University.”

“And I’m trying to convince him to come to Ohio State with me,” Santana said.

“If you two went two Ohio State, it would make it easier to visit you both,” Kurt said.

“It’ll all depends on how much scholarship money I end up getting,” Dave said. “I should be hearing something back here in the next couple of weeks.”

“Well, looks like Kurt’s off to New York in the fall. Santana will be going to Columbus and you’ll be in either Chicago, Columbus or Michigan,” Blaine said addressing Dave. “I guess this really will be our last summer together in Lima.”

Dave reached for the glass of tea in front of him and said, “Actually I’ll be leaving town for the summer in a couple of weeks.”

“Oh really,” Blaine said. “Where you going?”

“New York,” Dave said between sips of his drink. “I’ll be working at a summer camp for LGBTQ+ youth.”

“Wow. That’s incredible.”

“I’ll be working at the same camp,” Santana said, a Cheshire grin on her face. “Yes, Dave and I will be laying down the law for a bunch of 12–16-year-olds.”

“Finn texted me the other day to tell me he got accepted as well,” Dave said.

“Wait a minute, Finn Hudson is coming, too?” Santana asked.

“Yeah.” Dave turned to Kurt and said, “He said you were the one to convince him to apply. He said he needed to get away from Lima.”

“You mean get away from Rachel,” Santana said.

“Yeah, her, too.”

“So, let me get this straight, all three of you are going to summer camp to be what … camp counselors I’m guessing?” Blaine asked. He looked over at Brittany and asked, “Are you going to, Britt?”

Brittany shook her head and said, “No – I actually got a job volunteering at the animal shelter. Ms. Pillsbury said it’ll look good when I start applying for colleges.”

“Kurt, didn’t you get the counselor position, too?” Santana asked, a slight smirk on her face.

Blaine turned to Kurt and said, “Wait, you’re going, too?”

Kurt swallowed hard and looked down at the table. “If you’re asking if I applied for the camp counselor position and got it, well, the answer is yes. I haven’t, um, quite decided if I’m going or not.”

Dave furrowed his brow and asked, “Why not? Your mind seemed pretty made up last time we talked.”

Kurt felt the heat rising to his face. He felt all of their eyes on him, and he wanted to disappear. He looked over at Blaine and saw confusion and hurt on his face. Blaine looked away and down at his lap.

“C’mon, Kurt,” Santana said. “You’ve got to come. Who else is going to make sure Finn doesn’t walk off a cliff?”

Kurt looked over at Dave and gave him a look that said, _help – please change the subject_.

Dave cleared his throat and looked over his shoulder. “Hey Dad, are those steaks ready yet?”

“Five more minutes,” Mr. Karofsky announced. “Why don’t you grab the potatoes and the salad.”

“Sure,” Dave said, He turned to Kurt and asked, “Care to help me in the kitchen.”

“Love to,” Kurt said hopping up from the table. He followed Dave through the sliding glass door into the house.

“What’s going on, Kurt?” Dave asked as the two of them entered the kitchen.

Kurt leaned against the kitchen island and sighed. “I, um, sort of forgot to tell Blaine that I applied for the camp counselor position.”

Dave closed the refrigerator and sat a large bowl of mixed greens on the kitchen island. “You sort of forgot?”

Kurt lowered his head and said, “Yeah.”

“Kurt – look at me.”

Kurt slowly lifted his head until he met Dave’s hazel-eyed gaze.

“What is the real reason you didn’t tell Blaine?”

Kurt shrugged and said, “I dunno. Maybe I just finally wanted something that is mine.”

Dave reached for a knife and started to rapidly chop a cucumber.

“Don’t get me wrong. I love Blaine … more than anything. But sometimes … sometimes …”

“It’s hard watching others get the thing you want.”

“Exactly,” Kurt said. “Senior year was supposed to be _my_ year and instead I lost class president to Brittany and Blaine got the role of Tony in _West Side Story_. Apparently, my performance was ‘too delicate’.”

Dave emptied the chopped cucumbers into the salad bowl and said, “Kurt, there’s nothing wrong with wanting something for yourself. I’m sure Blaine would agree.”

Kurt crossed his arms and said, “Maybe you’re right. I should have told him.”

“Well, he knows now. Just let him know you plan on leaving in a few weeks. Oh, and would you grab the potatoes. They’re in the oven.”

Kurt grabbed a couple of potholders and removed the pan of baked potatoes from the oven. He considered what Dave said. He needed to let Blaine know that he wanted to spend his summer at Camp Black Bear. He knew it would be difficult being away from each other for so long but if they truly were meant to be together surely they would be able to survive a summer apart.

~

Kurt arrived home at a quarter till ten. He found Finn sprawled on the living room sofa watching an episode of _NCIS: Los Angeles_ , a giant bowl of popcorn sitting on his chest. Kurt groaned and flopped down on the sofa next to him. He reached over and plucked a couple of kernels out of the bowl.

“How was the party?” Finn asked.

“It was nice,” Kurt said. “I see you came out of your room.”

Finn shrugged and looked over at Kurt. “You okay?”

Kurt leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling. “Blaine and I decided to take some time apart.”

Finn sat up, nearly knocking over the bowl of popcorn. He placed it on the coffee table and turned to face Kurt. “What – what happened?”

Kurt sighed and said, “He got mad when he found out I applied for the camp counselor position at Camp Black Bear. He said I should have told him my plans – even though he didn’t tell me he applied for an internship at NYU.”

Finn reached out and placed his hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Kurt.”

Kurt nodded and said, “I’m not. I’m so sick of playing second fiddle to my boyfriend. The only reason Blaine is even upset about me leaving is because he didn’t get the internship and now he’s stuck here in Lima all summer. He says he assumed we would spend the summer together.” Kurt turned to his stepbrother and said, “I’m no one’s backup plan.”

Finn shot Kurt a dopey grin and said, “Good for you, Kurt.”

Kurt sighed and said, “Well, looks like we’re both single.”

Finn chewed his bottom lip and nodded. He then turned to Kurt and said, “But at least we are not alone.”


	5. Let's Get Physical

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave, Kurt, Santana and Finn make a slight detour on their way to camp.

**Twilight Inn Motel, Painesville, OH: Thursday, May 31**

“Where are you?”

Dave stood underneath the only streetlamp in the near-empty parking lot. From where he stood, he could hear the traffic moving along the nearby interstate.

After meeting at the Hudson-Hummel residence, earlier that day, he, Kurt, Finn, and Santana had loaded their things into Kurt’s Lincoln Navigator and around noon they departed for Camp Black Bear. Dave had been the one to enter the camp’s address into Kurt’s GPS and according to the navigational system, which sounded remarkably like Clive Owen, they were due to reach their destination by five o’clock. Nearly two and a half hours into their trip, a semi-truck carrying hazardous materials lost control and ended up on its side, shutting down both sides of I-90.

“We’re at the Twilight Inn Motel in Painesville.” Dave used his thumbs to massage away the dull throb at his temples. “Painesville is accurate. I have a pounding headache.”

“David,” Paul Karofsky spoke, worry creeping into his voice. “Are you sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine, Dad. I probably just need to eat something. Santana’s out scouting for food. Most of the restaurants are closed.”

“And this motel,” Paul spoke. “What’s it like?”

“It’s clean, if that’s what you’re asking,” Dave said. “Dad – I’m safe. We’re all safe. We all just need some sleep and then we’ll try again in the morning.”

“I hate that you missed your check-in at the camp.”

“Santana spoke with one of the camp directors and apparently some of the other counselors ended up stuck behind the same accident as we were. They said it was no issue and that we can just check in by noon tomorrow.”

“And you’re sure you’re okay?”

Dave laughed and said, “Dad, I promise I’m fine. Are _you_ okay?”

“I’m fine,” Paul said. “It’s quite lonesome here without you.”

Dave lowered his head and said, “I know, Dad, but remember what Mr. and Mrs. Hummel said. Anytime you start feeling lonely, you can go over to their place.”

“I know, I know,” Paul said. “That was really nice of Burt and Carole.”

“I think having me out of the house will do you some good.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, with everything that’s happened over the last couple of months, your entire attention has been focused on me, which I appreciate. Maybe it’s time to focus on you. You know, get out. Go to a bar. Or to a movie. Maybe you can ask _lawyerbabe3000_ to go with you.”

“Um, how did you know about that?”

Dave grinned at hearing the slight panic in his dad’s voice. “Dad – relax. I was using your computer the other day and you were still logged into OkCupid. PS – you might want to start erasing your browser history.”

“Jesus – I’m so embarrassed,” Paul said.

“Dad – it’s 2012. Online dating is nothing to be embarrassed over. So, hit up _lawyerbabe3000_ and tell her you want to meet up for dinner. But take things slow. I’m not ready for a stepmother yet.”

“Okay – that’s enough of that,” Paul said.

Dave laughed. “Dad – do we need to have _the talk_?”

“Goodnight, David,” Paul said. “Let me know when you leave out tomorrow morning.”

Dave chuckled. “Will do, Dad. Goodnight.”

Dave removed his Bluetooth earpiece and started walking towards the motel. He used his key to enter room 7. He found Finn lying on one of the two full-sized beds watching a basketball game on the TV. Finn looked up and craned his head in Dave’s direction.

“Everything good?” he asked.

“Yeah – just checking in with my dad.” Dave plopped down on the other bed and asked, “Where’s Kurt?”

Finn gestured towards the bathroom. “He’s doing his whole nighttime skin routine.”

“Well, guess I won’t be using the bathroom any time soon.” Dave kicked off his shoes and plopped down on the other bed. “Who’s playing?”

“The Celtics and the Heat.”

The door to their room opened and Santana entered carrying two plastic bags.

“This place is like a ghost town,” she said dropping the bags on the desk in the corner of the room. “There was only one gas station open, and it was sketch as hell. The guy behind the counter kept looking at me and licking his lips.”

“Gross,” Dave said. “Thanks for going out and getting us food.”

Santana walked over and collapsed on the bed next to Dave. “Is Lady Hummel still in the bathroom?”

Both Dave and Finn nodded.

The bathroom door opened, and Kurt emerged wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of silk pajamas bottoms. Dave watched as Kurt moved across the room. He noticed how tight the t-shirt was across Kurt’s chest and arms.

_Kurt has muscles_ , he thought to himself. _When did Kurt get muscles_?

“Santana brought us snacks,” Finn announced hopping off the bed. He walked over to the desk and started rummaging through both bags. “Dave, heads up.”

Dave looked up just in time to catch a 20oz. Mountain Dew followed by a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. He turned to Santana and said, “You know me so well.” He tore open the bag and shoveled a handful into his mouth.

“I guess we should discuss sleeping arrangements,” Kurt said.

“What’s to discuss?” Dave asked. “I figured you’d sleep with Finn and Santana and I will share.”

Both Kurt and Santana said, “No.”

“Sorry, Dave, but you snore and I’d hate to smother you in your sleep,” Santana said.

“And Finn likes to kick,” Kurt said. “Last time we went camping, we shared a tent and I woke up the next morning with bruises.”

“Kinky,” Santana said, waggling her eyebrows.

Kurt shot her an evil look.

“Fine,” Dave said. “I’ll share with Finn and you and Santana can share.”

“No offense, but I don’t think the bed is big enough for both of us,” Finn said.

Dave sighed and said, “I guess I can sleep on the floor.”

“Ew, no,” Kurt said. “God knows when this carpet was last cleaned. You are not sleeping on the floor, Dave. Plus what about your back?”  
Dave instinctively reached for his back. He had mentioned casually to Kurt that sometimes he had back pain. Years of playing hockey and football had put a lot of wear and tear on his 18-year-old body. He was surprised but not too surprised that Kurt had remembered this.

“My back will be fine. I can put a sheet down or something.”

“That’s dumb,” Santana said. “You paid for this room, you should be sleeping in a bed.”

“Yes,” Kurt agreed. “You can share with me and Finn can share with Santana. It’s not like they haven’t slept together before.”

Finn looked over at Santana and flushed a fierce shade of crimson.

“Fine,” Santana said as she hopped up from the bed. She walked over to the small table between the two beds and yanked open the top drawer. She pulled out the Bible she found there and held it up. “But we are sleeping with this between us.”

“Well,” Kurt said. “That’s settled. I’m exhausted so how about we call it a night. We have a long day ahead of us.”

“I’m going to brush my teeth first,” Finn said heading towards the bathroom.

“I’m going to call Brittany and let her know that we’re in the middle of BFE,” Santana said making her way to the door.

Once Finn and Santana had left the room, Dave looked over at Kurt who was busy munching on an Oreo and asked, “Um, Kurt – are you sure about this?”

“Sure about what?”

Dave watched as Kurt’s tongue darted out of his mouth to lick the cream from the chocolate cookie.

“Um, us you know …” He looked over at the bed.

“Oh, David, don’t be silly. It’s a bed, not a marriage proposal.” Kurt took a sip of Diet Coke. “Besides, my dad snores louder than anyone I know so your snoring is not going to bother me.”

Dave nodded and took a swig of Mountain Dew.

Kurt plucked another Oreo from the pack. “You know, I can’t believe we’re going to be camp counselors.”

Dave looked up at Kurt and grinned. “Yeah, me, too. I’m hella nervous. The last kid I was around was my cousin Cody and he hates me.”

“You have nothing to be nervous about, David,” Kurt said. “Everything you’ve been through this past year has prepared you for this role we’re about to take on. Trust me, those kids are going to love you.”

“You think?” Dave asked.

“Of course. What’s not to love?” Kurt shrugged and popped the Oreo into his mouth.

Dave lowered his head and prayed that Kurt could not see the blush creeping across his face. Dave Karofsky was not a religious man but in that moment he silently thanked God that he would get to spend the entire summer with Kurt.

Dave finished off the bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and polished off the rest of the Mountain Dew. He waited for Santana to finish with her shower and then he grabbed a few items out of his bag and headed into the bathroom. He locked the door and wiped the residual steam from the mirror. In the harsh fluorescent lighting of the claustrophobic bathroom, he glimpsed an exhausted 18-year-old man in the mirror.

He ran his fingers along his jaw. Since leaving the hospital, he had really started to let his facial hair grow out. He had briefly considered shaving until Kurt had complimented his goatee a few weeks ago. After hearing that, Dave had vowed to never shave again.

Dave showered, dried off and changed into a Black Flag t-shirt and a pair of red nylon shorts. The lights were out in the main room and he could hear Finn snoring lightly. Dave set the alarm on his phone and plugged it into the outlet near his side of the bed. He took a deep breath and pulled back the covers. He slid into bed, careful not to disturb Kurt and lie flat on his back.

His heart was pounding in his throat as the reality of his current situation settled in. Being in bed with Kurt Hummel was something he thought and dreamed about often. He looked over and saw that Kurt had turned and was now facing him. Dave wanted to reach out and stroke his cheek. He wanted to pull Kurt over to his side of the bed. He wanted to press a kiss to his forehead and fall asleep with him in his arms.

Dave quietly scolded himself for entertaining such thoughts. Kurt Hummel was his friend. Nothing more. Nothing less. Thinking of Kurt as anything more than a dear friend would ultimately lead to heart ache and that was the last thing he needed to deal with right now.

Dave closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep. Tomorrow would be the beginning of a new chapter of his life and he was both thrilled and terrified to see what awaited at Camp Black Bear.

Within five minutes he was sleep.

~

Dave opened his eyes to intense sunlight coming through the window. He yawned and blinked away the sleep from his eyes. He went to sit up but became aware of the heaviness on his chest. He looked down and could hardly believe what he saw. Kurt’s head was on his chest and his arm was draped over his stomach.

Dave went rigid. He was cuddling with Kurt, or rather Kurt was cuddling with him. _Nope, this isn’t real_ , he thought to himself. _This has to be a dream. Or a nightmare_. He squeezed his eyes shut, counted to ten in his head and slowly opened them.

Kurt was still there, curled against Dave’s body as if Dave were a body pillow or large stuffed animal. Dave took a deep breath and inhaled. Kurt’s hair smelled like green apples. Dave wanted to reach out and run his fingers through that hair but thought against it. He wanted to savor this moment for as long as he could.

_I do not deserve this_ , he thought to himself as he relished the feel of Kurt Hummel’s body against his own. Seconds turned to minutes. An hour past and Kurt still clung to Dave. Aside from needing to pee, Dave was the most content he had been in quite some time. Nothing could ruin this moment.

Except his alarm. Dave’s phone started to vibrate on the floor next to their bed and then The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil” started playing.

“Shit,” he whispered to himself as he attempted to reach for the phone without rousing Kurt.

Kurt yawned against his chest and started to squirm against him. Kurt’s hand absentmindedly rubbed his belly. Dave closed his eyes and felt all the blood in his body rush to his groin.

“Turn it off,” he heard Santana call from the other bed.

Kurt buried his face into Dave’s chest and groaned. He slowly lifted his head and asked, “What time is it?”

Dave sighed and said, “Time to get up.”

Kurt pressed his face back to Dave’s chest and said, “I don’t wanna get up.”

“Why is that so loud?” Finn groaned.

Dave turned and leaned over the side of the bed and grabbed his phone. He disabled the alarm and let his phone drop to the carpet.

Kurt slowly lifted his head and looked around and then slowly rolled over onto his back. He stretched and Dave heard the bones in his body crack and pop. Dave slowly sat up in bed and saw that Finn was lumbering towards the bathroom. He looked over at Santana who somehow managed to look hot despite having a severe case of bedhead.

“I get bathroom next,” she said reaching for her phone.

Kurt reached for the remote and turned on the TV. He then turned to look at Dave and asked, “How’d you sleep?”

Dave rubbed at the back of his neck and said, “Like a rock.”

_Like a fucking rock_.


	6. Welcome to the Jungle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Santana and the others finally arrive at Camp Black Bear.

**Camp Black Bear, Dunkirk, NY: Friday, June 1**

The first thing Santana noticed as she climbed out of Kurt’s SUV was the sweet scent thickening the air. She would recognize that smell anywhere having spent so many summers with her Uncle Reggie and Aunt Hermosa in Burlington when she was a little girl. Apparently, maple trees were just as prevalent here as they were in Vermont. Santana wrestled her phone out of her back pocket and began snapping pictures.

“This place is gorgeous.” Kurt inhaled and said, “The air is actually breathable.”

Dave appeared on the other side of Santana, holding a map out in front of him like a tourist in Times Square. “This says the Welcome Center should be that way.” He pointed towards a dirt path lined with maple trees.

“I’ll go wake Finn,” Kurt said.

Dave folded the map and slipped it into the pocket of the crimson hoodie he was wearing. Santana glanced over and saw him staring off into space. She reached out and placed a hand on his bicep.

“Hey, Big Guy – look at me.”

Dave slowly, reluctantly met her gaze. Santana searched his face and saw something familiar. It was the same look she saw the day she had decided to casually out him in the middle of the Lima Bean. Of course, she had ended up outing herself as well but looking back she realized how shitty of a move that was. The look in Dave’s hazel eyes was panic. 

She quickly looked over her shoulder and saw Kurt fussing with Finn and then turned her attention back to Dave. “What’s wrong?”

Dave’s hands were shoved inside the pockets of his gray cargo shorts as he rocked back and forth on his heels.

“What if I suck at this?” he asked.

Santana remembered the text message she had received back in February. She remembered skipping glee practice and the long and agonizing drive to Mercy Health. She remembered the woman with the Kate Gosselin haircut telling her only family was permitted to see the patient and rudely reminding her that she, indeed, was not family. She remembered the long walk back to her car and she remembered how her world had collapsed in on her the moment she had shoved her key into the ignition.

Three days later, thanks to Kurt talking with Mr. Karofsky, Santana entered Dave’s hospital room, a teddy bear and a bird of paradise plant in tow. For a while, the two sat and wordlessly stared at each other. Seeing Dave in that hospital bed, his body tethered to machines that beeped and chirped, was officially the most surreal experience of her life.

_“That was a shitty, fucked up thing you did,” she’d said, severing the silence between them._

_Dave lifted his head and gave her that same smirk he gave her every time they passed each other in the hall._

_“Shitty, fucked up things are sort of my MO,” he said with a slight chuckle._

_Santana shifted in her seat and asked, “Why didn’t you call me?”_

_Dave scoffed and said, “You and I haven’t talked since prom. The moment you lost prom queen to Kurt you were done with me.” He leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling. “Besides, I didn’t have your number.”_

_Santana bit her lip and then asked, “Where’s your phone?”_

_“My dad had it turned off,” Dave said. “He said I had over 200 texts and notifications. Apparently, a lot of people are pissed that I’m not dead.” He gave a nervous laugh._

_Santana felt her eyes begin to well up. “I’m so sorry, Dave.”_

_He shrugged and looked over at her. “You know what they say. Karma’s a bitch. You don’t get to spend nearly four years making other people’s lives a living hell and not get some form of payback.”_

_Santana shook her head and scooted to the edge of her seat. “No, Dave – no matter what you did, you did not deserve this.”_

_Dave squirmed in his bed a bit before he found a comfortable position. “Kurt bought me a new phone. I’ve got a new number and everything. It’s in the top drawer.”_

_Santana stood and walked over to the small table next to Dave’s bed. She pulled open the drawer and saw a brand-new iPhone. She entered her contact information and returned the phone back to the drawer._

_Twenty minutes later, an insanely hot male nurse in navy blue scrubs entered Dave’s room to let her know visiting hours were over and that she could return the following day._

_Santana got up and stood next to Dave’s bed._

_“I’m sorry,” she said._

_Dave frowned and asked, “What are you sorry for?”_

_“For outing you that day and then blackmailing you. That was a pretty shitty, fucked up thing for me to do to you.”_

_Dave laughed and said, “Watch it – you’re coming for my brand.”_

_Promise me that if you ever, ever get to the point where you want to -.” Santana swallowed. “If you ever decide to do something like this again, call me. Call Kurt.”_

_Santana held out her pinky and waited for Dave to follow suit. Dave sighed and lifted his paw-like hand. He extended his pinky and Santana wrapped hers around his._

_“I promise,” he said._

_Santana smiled and said, “Awesome. And Dave, if you ever pull something like this again, I will show up to your doorstep and go straight up honey badger on your ass.”_

_Dave grinned and said, “Well, we certainly wouldn’t want that.”_

_Santana patted him on the arm and backed away from his bed. She moved to the door and placed her hand on the knob. She looked over her shoulder and said, “Dave, I’m glad you’re still alive.”_

_David swallowed and nodded his head._

“You’re not going to suck at this,” Santana said.

Dave rolled his eyes and said, “How do you know?”

“Because I know you, Dave,” she said. “If anyone is going to be good at this, it’s going to be you. You just need to get out of that head of yours and relax.” She reached out and rubbed his arm and said, “You got this. They’re going to love you.”

Dave smirked and said, “That’s exactly what Kurt said.”

“Well, that’s officially the smartest thing he’s ever said,” Santana said. “Now let’s go have the best summer of our lives.”

“I do like the sound of that,” Dave said.

Santana held out her pinky and waited for him to do the same. Over the last few months it had become their private ritual although Dave admitted to her once that he felt completely ridiculous every time they did it.

Dave gripped her picky with his and the two of them shared a knowing smile.

“The giant has been awakened,” Kurt announced joining the two of them. Finn was a few steps behind him, yawning and rubbing his face.

The four of them took the path until they arrived at a two-story cabin. There was a ladder positioned outside the front door and an older man was standing on the third rung attempting to hang a large banner above the doorway. As they moved closer to the cabin, he noticed them and started waving. He quickly climbed down the ladder and moved down a small cobblestone path towards them with the biggest grin on his face.

Santana figured he must have been in his 40’s. He had a beefy upper body, a super narrow waist and thighs that could choke a grizzly bear. The brown _Camp Black Bear_ t-shirt and the khaki short-shorts he wore looked painted on his body. With his wavy blond hair and big blue eyes, he reminded her of a giant, gay Ken Doll. 

“You must be our counselors from Lima,” he said. “I’m Jake. I’m one of the directors here at Camp Black Bear. Come on inside and I’ll introduce you to the others.”

Jake turned to head inside the cabin.

“He looks like Buzz Lightyear,” Finn whispered.

Santana and Dave snickered. Kurt shot them both a deadly look.

They stepped inside the air-conditioned cabin and the first thing Santana noticed was the huge, stuffed black bear standing next to the fireplace. Like Jake, it wore a brown _Camp Black Bear T-shirt_ and khaki shorts.

“That’s Matilda, our mascot,” Jake said pointing at the stuffed bear. “And this is the Welcome Center. You all are more than welcome to hang out here during your free time. My office is right upstairs. There’s a game room in the back and an expresso machine.”

He slapped the side of his head and said, “I’m sorry, I’m just going a mile a minute. I haven’t even gotten your names.”

Kurt stepped up and told Jake his name.

“Nice to officially meet you, Kurt,” Jake said shaking his hand.

“Finn Hudson.” Finn stepped forward and shook Jake’s hand.

“A pleasure to meet you, Finn.”

Santana waved and told him her name.

“Oh yes, Santana,” Jake said. “We talked on the phone, yesterday. I hate that you all got stuck behind that nasty accident. I’m just glad you all made it here safely.” He then turned to Dave and said, “Well, that must mean you are David … _Kuh-row-skee?”_

“ _Kuh-roff-skee_ ,” Dave said shaking the other man’s hand.

“My apologies,” Jake said. “Again, I want to welcome you all to Camp Black Bear. We are so excited to have you here.”

“Are these our new camp counselors?” a voice called from overhead.

Santana looked up and saw an older woman descending the spiral staircase connecting the ground floor to the upstairs. She wore the same outfit as Jake except her clothes seemed to be a bit looser. She looked to be in her late-30s and she wore her hair in twists. She was quite a bit shorter than Jake and a bit on the heavier side.

“This is Katie Mason,” Jake announced. “She’s the other director. Katie, this is Finn and Kurt and Santana and David.”

The four of them waved and exchanged pleasantries with Katie.

“We’re so glad you’ll be joining us this summer,” Katie beamed. She turned to Jake and asked, “Did you let the others know they’ve arrived?”

“No,” Jake said removing a walkie talkie from his pocket. “I was just about to let them know.” He held the walkie talkie close to his mouth and said, “Please come to the Welcome Center. I repeat, please come to the Welcome Center.”

A voice on the other end replied with, “Roger.”

While they waited for the others to arrive, Santana broke away from the group and started moving around the main floor. There were framed photographs hanging on the wall closest to her. She saw a photo of two girls, maybe thirteen or fourteen, one blonde and one brunette. Their arms were around each other and their foreheads were pressed together. There was a look of pure joy on both of their faces.

_This could’ve been me and Brittany_.

The door to the cabin opened and Santana turned in time to see four kids her age enter. She moved back over to where Dave, Kurt and Finn were standing and waited to be introduced to these total strangers who would also be serving as counselors this summer.

The four new people stood in a row across from them. Santana immediately took notice of the petite girl standing directly across from her. She had curly brown hair and dark blue eyes. She had a cluster of freckles around her nose and a piercing above her left eye.

“These are our returning counselors,” Jake announced. “Why don’t you introduce yourselves to our newbies.”

The first one in line spoke up. “My name’s Anders Hamilton. This will be my fifth year at Camp Black Bear and my third year being a counselor.”

“I’m Melanie Rohr but I go by _Mel_ ,” the girl across from Santana spoke. “This is my third year here and my second year of being a counselor.”

“I’m Teddy Simpson. My pronouns are they/them. This is also my third year at Camp Black Bear and my second year of being a counselor.”

The final person took a step forward and gave a slight wave. “I’m Pari Bhandari and this is my fourth year of being here and my third year of being a counselor.”

Santana watched Pari step back into line. There was something intimidating about her which was strange because Santana was not the type to intimidate easily.

“This year we are going to try something different,” Katie spoke. “Both Jake and I thought it would be a good idea to pair each of the new counselors with one of the more experienced counselors. That way they can show you the ropes and give you an idea of what to expect before our campers arrive on Sunday.”

“I’m going to announce your pairings and afterwards I want the senior counselors to give our newbies a tour of the camp and also show them which cabins they will be staying in.” Jake held up the clipboard in his hand. “Let’s see, Finn, I’ve paired you with Anders. Santana you will be paired with Mel. Kurt I’ve paired you with Teddy and David you will be paired with Pari. Lunch will be served here at the Welcome Center so just make sure you’re back here at noon.”

Santana felt like a freshman all over again. Mel approached her with a smile on her face. Santana held out her hand but instead Mel engulfed her in a tight hug.

“I’m sorry,” Mel said, “I’m a hugger. It’s the Midwesterner in me, I suppose.”

“Oh, it’s fine,” Santana said.

“So, you’re from _Lee-mah?”_ she asked.

“Lima,” Santana said. “Like the bean.”

“Oh, my bad. And that’s in Ohio, right?”

Santana nodded.

“I’m from Chanute, Kansas,” Mel said. “I took a bus here.”

“How long did that take?” Santana asked.

“Hmm, let’s see, I left on Tuesday at around noon and I got here around seven yesterday morning.”

“Wow,” Santana said.

“I wouldn’t recommend it,” Mel said. “So, you ready for your tour?”

“Yeah.”

“I know this place like the back of my hand. I’ll show you to your cabin first and then I’ll show you all of the cool spots.”

“Lead the way,” Santana said.

The two of them headed for the door. Santana looked over at Dave and was about to wave when she noticed Pari glaring at her. She lowered her hand and immediately exited the cabin.

“She’s harmless,” Mel said as the two of them started off down a paved path.

“Who is?”

“Pari,” she answered. “In case you didn’t notice, she was staring daggers at us the whole time we were talking.”

Santana wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead. “What’s her deal? Did I do something wrong?”

“No, you did nothing wrong. Pari and I had a bit of a blow up at the end of last summer. Yesterday was the first time we’ve seen each other since.”

The two of them crossed a small bridge over a tiny creek. Santana struggled to keep up with Mel who was quite the speed walker.

“Santana,” Mel spoke. “Mind if I ask you something rather personal.”

“Um, sure.”

“You have a significant other?”

Santana thought of Brittany and smiled. “Yeah – a girlfriend.”

Mel smiled and said, “Good. That means you probably won’t make the same mistake I did.”

“Which is?”

Mel sighed and crossed her arms. “Do yourself a favor, Santana. Talk to your girlfriend as much as you can. Text her. Call her. Write to her.”

Santana thought of the stationery Brittany had helped her pick out at Michael’s. In her free time, Santana planned on writing a lot of letters to Brittany and to her mom.

“Whatever you do,” Mel continued. “Do _not_ fall for another camp counselor.”

Before Santana had a chance to ask Mel to elaborate, the other girl was already walking away. Santana figured it was a conversation for another day and rushed to keep up.


End file.
